The McCain campaign released a web ad Friday claiming McCain won the debate.

(CNN) - The time between the final answer in any presidential debate and the campaign press release declaring victory can usually best be measured in milliseconds. But John McCain’s campaign – which has been downplaying his performance at Friday’s faceoff, offering praise for opponent Barack Obama’s “eloquence” and debating skill – seems to have decided it’s never too soon to start spinning the outcome.

The Washington Post reported Friday that the campaign was running an online ad featuring the headline: "McCain Wins Debate!" and a photo of a smiling McCain and an American flag background. Another featured a quote from McCain campaign manager Rick Davis: "McCain won the debate - hands down."

The Obama campaign quickly circulated the report – which came moments before McCain’s team confirmed he would take part in the evening debate after all.

soundoff(294 Responses)

ONE CAN'T DO INTERVIEWS, AND THE OTHER REPEAT LINES FROM OBAMA SPEECHES, YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME, ABOUT THESE TWO, I WILL VOTE THIS TIME!!!!!!

September 26, 2008 02:45 pm at 2:45 pm |

BJGT

DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN!

September 26, 2008 02:45 pm at 2:45 pm |

J

How can anything but total racism explain any of McCain's support at this point?? Palin is completely clueless, and McCain has been acting so erratically that it boggles the mind.

September 26, 2008 02:45 pm at 2:45 pm |

Paul

Would he push the nuclear button before there was a war, just to get a jump on the next news cycle?

September 26, 2008 02:45 pm at 2:45 pm |

MIKE FROM C-BUS

McCAIN CURES CANCER!

McCAIN CAN FLY!

McCAINS HAS FOUR BRAINS

McCAIN IS ACTUALLY 145

McCAIN INVENTED OXYGEN

KEEP EM COMING.

September 26, 2008 02:45 pm at 2:45 pm |

Mikey

Don't get me wrong, I'm wholeheartedly supporting the Obama/Biden ticket. But this seems a bit suspicious, and the graphic looks horribly amateur. Nobody else may share this opinion, but it looks to me like they were hacked.

However, Blue is still my favorite color! 😉

September 26, 2008 02:45 pm at 2:45 pm |

frank

Is he on drugs?

September 26, 2008 02:45 pm at 2:45 pm |

D&D

McCain knows that he has nothing to lose at this point...so he doesn't really care about what he or his campaign do anymore...it's sad!

September 26, 2008 02:45 pm at 2:45 pm |

America think for you

What an illussion they have. Day Dreaming anyway the debate is at night. That guy is really losing it.
$700 billion to bail out wall street how about main street? America do you realize that that $700 billion that you will spend will be use to bail out Chinese banks and other foreign banks bad business and then they will sell these business back to us American. We should not let this to happen because the same mess will come back again in wall street. Wall Street greed, big CEO Payout need to have control over them. This $700 billion just show you that the republicans do not care. Congress please do not let George Bush rush you and us American into this mess. Bush has four months in power and he does not care of whatever mess that $700 billion will make.
Is that package has a plan to bail out main street as well? The economy cannot run good without main street confidence. If main street do not have money that $700 billions is a waste.

September 26, 2008 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm |

Joe from Micihgan

I am speechless! Do you guys know what McCain has just done to our country? He has taken the most powerful position in the world and make it into a joke. George Washington, Reagan, Lincoln, FDR, JFK, Clinton, Hoover. Would any of them act this manner. You are looking at the most childish 72 year old. If this is how he will run the country.....GO BLESS US ALL....WE HAVE REALLY 4 TOUGH YEARS AHEAD OF US

September 26, 2008 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm |

Gary E., Roma, TX

what a dork

September 26, 2008 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm |

Sarah Bell

You sir, are a FRAUD!!! David Letterman was right, someone is putting something in your metamucil. How can he get away with this??? Oh right, the other guy is black. This is bull. What's there not to be proud of America??? Take a bow.

September 26, 2008 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm |

McMsx

Instead of supending his compaign, McCain traveled to the alternative future where he has won

September 26, 2008 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm |

SBAMA

Guess Debate is off again..... McCain already won...

September 26, 2008 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm |

BAC

Something is really wrong here. This is all stuff that no rational politician would do. There is something going on that is completely strange. I really think McCain is completely losing it. This is pathological – and people STILL want to vote for him. God help us all

September 26, 2008 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm |

Ledia

What's the point? I don't get it. What the hell are they trying to say?Barack got it right: THey don't say what they mean.

September 26, 2008 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm |

Jasonhouse

What a complete joke McCain has become. He's a farce, a punchline.

He stood up 2 days ago and promised the nation that he was going to Washington to solve his party's self-made crisis, and that he wasn't going to pursue his presidential ambitions until he had solved the problem.

and then McCain does NOTHING to provide leadership on the issue, and instead exacerbates it to use as a political gambit? Note to everyone...

McCain couldn't even get the party that he is the anointed leader of to reconcile its own ideological failings.

If McCain can't even rally his own party, how can he be counted upon to rally all of government to a common cause? How can he be counted upon to rally the entire nation for the greater good? How can a man who can't even bridge the divide among his closest allies, be counted upon to bridge the divide with America's worst enemies?

Thiat isn't a victory for McCain, it's proof positive that for whatever reason, John McCain simply isn't fit for duty.

September 26, 2008 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm |

Paula, Seattle, WA

Dewey beat Truman... right????

September 26, 2008 02:47 pm at 2:47 pm |

s.b.

Who says these ads are from McCain and not from some firm hired by Obama to try to make McCain look bad.

September 26, 2008 02:47 pm at 2:47 pm |

Margo

I certainly hopes this gets the attention of those who would vote for McCain. Does the McCain campaign think people don't read or think? Perhaps it was McCain who said people cling to their bibles and their guns... .... and maybe these people just can't put 2 and 2 together and come up with four.

This has to be the work of Rove.... claim to be the winner and President before the votes are counted. Sort of has a familiar ring.

September 26, 2008 02:47 pm at 2:47 pm |

Gary E., Roma, TX

sorry... I meant to write, what a SUPER dork

September 26, 2008 02:47 pm at 2:47 pm |

Paul , St. Louis MO

"Dewey defeats Truman".

September 26, 2008 02:47 pm at 2:47 pm |

Matt in Florida

His only hope of winning was not showing up, so he thought he'd won it when he suspended his campaign.

I think he might be losing his mind. Seriously.

September 26, 2008 02:47 pm at 2:47 pm |

June W in Canada

Let me see if I've got this correct!
The McCain camp has a release saying he won the debate that he wasn't going to attend before he was forced to attend at the last mnute, but he's won the debate that hasn't even happened yet?????? I guess that's their version of "straight talk."

September 26, 2008 02:47 pm at 2:47 pm |

TKW- New Mexico

He has gone crazy! Admit this man to Shady Pines immediately! Obama all the way to the White House!